If you wanted to lower the front end could you use K-Code springs? They are 1.5 inches lower than a stock maverick spring yet are 291 lbs with 1661 load rating. Is 1.5 inches too much? Moog - Coil Spring Set Part Number: 8090 Line: MOO limited lifetime warranty •UPC: 80066115375 •Bar Size (In): 0.600 Inch •Spring Rate (Lbs/In): 291 Lbs./In Additional Details •Bar Size (mm): 15.50mm •End 1 Type: Square •End 2 Type: Tangential •Free Height (In): 14.810 Inch •Free Height (mm): 376.20mm •Inside Diameter (In): 3.87 Inch •Inside Diameter (mm): 98.40mm •Install Height (In): 9 Inch •Install Height (mm): 228.60mm •Load (Lbs): 1661 Lbs. •Spring Style: Constant Rate •High Performance: No
My bad used the search feature for “8090”. Would there be any issue with alignment or tire wear? Could the alignment specs for the Shelby cars be used?
Plus how will it dive if I leave the rear stock height? What is the amount of leeway for the spring load? If you run a 1661 load spring on a car with an 1809 load, will the spring bottom out of cause other damage?
That spring is nothing special when you consider most performance lowering springs are around the 450-520lb mark for a small block. The rear end being higher will make the car more susceptible to unloading the rear suspension under hard breaking and/or initial turn in. A rear sway bar would be recommended to help reduce suspension rise and keep turn in predictable. I can't exactly say what would happen with just 200 lbs load difference but I imagine it would slightly lower the car even more(think.. 6 cylinder springs on a V8) and result in faster wearout with more chance for bottoming out later on down the road. Plenty of springs out there that are better then that one and most can be easily trimmed to fit your desired ride height.
I already have a coil set ready for install which has a 418 rate and 1900 load with 10.5 install height. I saw the 8090 and thought if I could lower the front 1.5 inches and keep the same rate (295 for my current spring vs. 291) and it might be a nicer daily driver than the 418 spring. I was going to leave the rear springs alone and keep it stock. I don’t really want to cut any of coils. Will the 418 rated spring ride like a dump truck?
Here's how it works. Shorter springs must be stiffer to compensate for the ride height reduction. This is because the shorter spring still has to do the same amount of work over a now shorter range of motion. Not knowing what a stock Maverick spring has for free height and other spec's.. my guess is this. That new spring will be decent for all around type driving with some spirited cornering ability(but you still need front and rear sway-bars if you're anywhere close to serious about that). Firmer.. but not excessive. However.. I do believe you'll be chopping coils to get that perfect rake you're after here. Since I'm not familiar with these specific springs I could very easily be wrong though.. and you would be better off to search members rides for the front height and/or rake you like and ask them what they run. Another thing to remember here is that when coils are removed.. contrary to what most will think, spring rate actually increases.. but load capability goes down with fewer coils available to share the load. This is also true of lowering springs as well and is partially why they get into such high spring rates as they get shorter and coils get fewer. Shorter sport springs with fewer and thicker coils aren't very fun over rough roads but they sure do handle. It's always a compromise and trimming just allows you to dial it in. So, whether you're chopping less off this one.. or even more off a stiffer sport spring?.. customization will usually warrant additional work. Just depends on how "custom" you want to get. Many of us get ride-height wrong the first time.. and sometimes even the second time too.. and it pays to understand that probability so you can allot sufficient time and resources to end up where you want to be after all is said and done.
Current Springs Part Number: 8330 Limited lifetime warranty •Bar Size (In): 0.620 Inch •Spring Rate (Lbs/In): 295 Lbs./In Additional Details •Bar Size (mm): 15.90mm •End 1 Type: Square •End 2 Type: Tangential •Free Height (In): 16.630 Inch •Free Height (mm): 422.40mm •Inside Diameter (In): 3.88 Inch •Inside Diameter (mm): 98.60mm •Install Height (In): 10.50 Inch •Install Height (mm): 266.70mm •Load (Lbs): 1809 Lbs. •Spring Style: Constant Rate •High Performance: No Optional Springs Part Number: 8090 Limited lifetime warranty •Bar Size (In): 0.600 Inch •Spring Rate (Lbs/In): 291 Lbs. Additional Details •Bar Size (mm): 15.50mm •End 1 Type: Square •End 2 Type: Tangential •Free Height (In): 14.810 Inch •Free Height (mm): 376.20mm •Inside Diameter (In): 3.87 Inch •Inside Diameter (mm): 98.40mm •Install Height (In): 9 Inch •Install Height (mm): 228.60mm •Load (Lbs): 1661 Lbs. •Spring Style: Constant Rate •High Performance: No Part Number: 8356 Limited lifetime warranty •Bar Size (In): 0.650 Inch •Spring Rate (Lbs/In): 418 Lbs./In Additional Details •Bar Size (mm): 16.70mm •End 1 Type: Square •End 2 Type: Tangential •Free Height (In): 15.050 Inch •Free Height (mm): 382.30mm •Inside Diameter (In): 3.87 Inch •Inside Diameter (mm): 98.40mm •Install Height (In): 10.50 Inch •Install Height (mm): 266.70mm •Load (Lbs): 1900 Lbs. •Spring Style: Constant Rate •High Performance: No
#8090 is probably shorter than the other two by about 1/3 coil. If you want load range closer to the #8330?(I would always want more from any shorter spring to reduce typical spring compression over bigger bumps).. and shorter installed height of the #8090?.. then cut the 8356 by about 3/4 to 1 full coil to do it. Otherwise.. just buy a sport spring to begin with the desired drop engineered into the equation. Even then though.. depending on options(weight) and even alignment spec's(the geometry slightly affects wheel lip height.. you may still need to tune them in by cutting another 1/4 coil or so. Many guys also fail to realize that thinner stock style springs settle over relatively shorter amounts of time compared to thicker/stiffer non-stock style "sport springs". This often leads to a fresh spring swap lifting the car enough compared to what came out to result in a less than perfect stance. Cutting springs is very easy to do.
